I had an "overfill" incident the other day due to a faulty fuel hose shut off and noticed that the excess fuel had drained into the trunk! When I inspected the drain tube coming from the fuel filler area next to the fuel filler door lock vacuum actuator I found a gap of around one inch. This meant that any overfill or water draining into that area would drain directly into the right side of the trunk! I don't know what caused the gap... perhaps shrinkage of the hose over 22 years?

Does anyone else have this problem?

If you check this, it may explain small water leaks and chemical smells in your trunk. I would often ingnore small drips from fuel or additives here assuming they would drain through to the ground.... WRONG!

PS... How do I get rid of the diesel smell!!!

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Mr Goodfahrt (pronounced FAIRT... means "good trip" in German)

1982 300D Turbo Pastel Gray (off-white) 200k+(?)
newbie but willing

I had the same problem, wife and daughter complaining about how smelly the trunk was. I replaced the large O ring on the fuel fill neck and we never "top off" when fueling... Smell gone, girls happy... equals.. I,m happy

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

I had the same problem - every time I came back from the car wash, the trunk had water in it. After 2 months of wondering where the water came from, I finally traced it back to this drain hose. As you mention, it had shrunk by a couple inches and fallen off the connection point by the gas filler door. I bought some similar-sized clear plastic tubing and an in-line plastic connector, and I spliced a new piece of hose on to the old one. Then I put metal hose clamps on at the gas door drain tube and at both sides of the splice to make sure it never comes off again.

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1989 250TD Wagon 5-speed, 160,000mi ::: Dark gray metallic / black cloth
1984 190D-2.2 5-speed, 287,000mi ::: Silver-blue metallic / black MB-tex ::: SOLD

I recently pulled my trunk liners and noticed a small amount of diesel in the passenger well, as well as some water as well. My hose isn't disconnected but it does leak. I have yet to repair it, but I can see how it could come off.

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'84 300CD Turbo 132k (Anthracite Grey) - WVO - My daily driver - Recently named coo-coo-coupe by my daughter.
'84 300D Turbo 240k (Anthracite Grey) - Garage Queen
'83 300D Turbo 220k (Orient Red) - WVO - Wifes daily driver

I'm not a certified mechanic, but I did stay at a HolidayInn Express last night.

I have the exact same problem (think I posted it around here some other time).....right down to the gap of about 3/4 inch.

I tried to stretch it to reconnect.....no go....

I'm gonna try that same trick that Cornblatt tried.....

I have the diesel and water in the passenger side trunk area...

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1998 W202 C230 - The money pit of late.
1984 W126 300SD (356,800 miles) Gone to the wrenchapart
1984 W123 300D Gone to the wrenchapart
1972 W108 280SE 3.5 (sold but not forgotten)
1986 Buick Grand National 3.8l Turbo (86k miles)
1966 Glassic Model 'A' Replica http://www.glassicannex.org

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I had a similar problem when the gasket on the filler cap started leaking. One of the side effects was that the trunk lock stopped working in conjunction with the door locks. Fuel had weakened one of the short lengths of rubber hose connecting the vacuum lines that run near the filler door area, and the line became disconnected. One more thing to check if you've had some significant fuel leakage at the tank neck...

Russ M
'82 300cd
'82 300td